Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Royal Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Book, Scrap Book, and Autobiography pertaining to Warrant Officer D. Blair, 82 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who was shot down and taken Prisoner of War during the infamous Aalborg Raid, 13 August 1940, when 11 out of the 12 aircraft failed to return: a committed escape artist during his incarceration he made 6 escape attempts including once dressed as a postman

Pilot’s Flying Log Book, covering the recipient’s entire flying career, covering the period 24 September 1938 to 18 June 1952; a privately compiled book of press cuttings featuring the recipient; and a copy of the recipient’s autobiography Clipped Wings, 159pp, Privately published; 1st ed. edition (1947), with dust jacket, one of the first Royal Air Force Prisoner of War Autobiographies published after the War, generally good condition (3) £400-£500

Donald Blair was born on 17 December 1918. He enlisted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 23 September 1938 whilst under training as an Accountant. His Address is given as 'The Chimes', Parsonage Lane, Frindsbury, Rochester, Kent.
First assigned to 90 Squadron as a Sergeant Pilot, he transferred to 82 Squadron based at R.A.F. Watton, Norfolk in mid July 1940. Flying Blenheims, his crew was himself, Sergeant W. J. Q. Magrath, and Sergeant W. Greenwood.

At 08:40 hours on Tuesday, 13 August 1940, the day designated by the Germans as ‘Adler Tag’ (Eagle Day), 82 Squadron of the Royal Air Force took off from Watton and Rodney airfields in Norfolk. The 12 Bristol Blenheims target was the airfield at Aalborg in northern Jutland which the Germans had enlarged significantly since occupation on 9 April 1940.

After crossing the coast, the protective cloud cover dispersed; nevertheless, Wing Commander Lart (Squadron Commander), decided to proceed towards Aalborg at 2,000 metres which was the height that the squadron had crossed the North Sea. The crossing at Sondervig was instantly registered by a German air observation post. The German air control at Arhus was immediately informed and Aalborg was warned of an imminent British attack. 25 German fighters had just been transferred to Aalborg to Jever to escort German bombers on a mission to England. As it happened, nine Messerschmidt 109's had just landed from Stavanger after a spell of escort duty. As soon as the air raid warning had been sounded, these nine fighters took off again. In and around Aalborg, German anti-aircraft batteries were ready and waiting.
The six aircraft of A-flight got through the flak and released their bombs. As B-flight followed about a minute later, the anti aircraft fire had been adjusted. At 12:20 hours Blair’s Blenheim R3730 was shot down and crashed at Egholm. The aircraft broke up on hitting some large boulders. It was a miracle that all three of the crew survived, for all three had sustained serious injuries. Found unconscious and floating in the shallow water north of Egholm island, a local fishing boat collected them and they were taken to Kamillianerklinkken Hospital in Aalborg. Of the 12 aircraft set out to bomb Aalborg aerodrome in formation, only one aircraft returned, having aborted owing to lack of fuel.

Blair was at this hospital for 5 days until he was moved to another hospital in Schweslig-Holstein, ands then on 8 September 1940 was incarcerated at Stalag Luft 1. Hungry to get back home and made no less than 6 escape attempts, 5 of which were at his first camp at Stalag Luft 1 Barth.

On 7 October 1941, Blair escaped from a working party with 580896 Sergeant C. A. Hill, R.A.F., by evading the guards. They were both recaptured. He used the same method soon after when he was taken into town with a party of men going to the dentist but was again recaptured. His next attempt was made disguised in a camp made German uniform of a Posten (Postman). This was again unsuccessful. Attempts 4 and 5 were made by cutting the wires of the camp but both times, he was discovered or recaptured. Attempt 5, by cutting through the camp wire was made on 20 April 1942, perhaps intended as a birthday present to Hitler. He was out for a while but was recaptured and sent to Stalag Luft 3, arriving back at Stalag Luft 1 on 16 October 1942.

At the end of October 1943, Blair, along with 1,200 other Royal Air Force N.C.O.'s from Stalag Luft 1 were transferred by train to Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug in East Prussia (now Lithuania). Blair left the camp on 25 October and in the early hours of 29 October, near Anklam, cut his way out of the side of the wagon and leapt to freedom. Sadly, this freedom was again short lived and he ended up with the rest at Stalag Luft 6 at Heydekrug.

Blair left Stalag Luft 6 on 19 July 1944 and was moved to Stalag Luft 4 at Gross Tychow. On 6 February 1945, the contingent at Stalag Luft 4 started on a long march away from the advancing allies and arrived at Stalag 357 at Fallingbostel on 3 April. From Fallingbostel, they kept on marching and were eventually liberated on 2 May 1945.

Interestingly, Blair’s navigator, Sergeant Magrath, managed to escape in November 1941, travelling through France, Spain and Gibraltar.